


the future belongs to us

by ViperSeven



Category: One Piece
Genre: First Kiss, Fluff, M/M, Post-Battle, and to rethink his life choices, as fluffy as a one piece afterfight can get???, because I am a sap, katakuri needs a hug, luffy's personality brings all the boys to the yard, what even are these tags
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-02
Updated: 2019-02-02
Packaged: 2019-10-20 18:52:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,605
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17627732
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ViperSeven/pseuds/ViperSeven
Summary: “One day… will you come? To defeat Big Mom?” Katakuri clarifies.The glare Monkey D. Luffy shoots him burns as bright as his spirit. “You bet!” he screams, “I’m gonna be the Pirate King!”-Monkey D. Luffy wins the fight. Katakuri hardly feels like he's lost.





	the future belongs to us

**Author's Note:**

> none of my friends from the marvel fandom follow one piece and i'm not sure if any of my readers do either, so i wrote this 100% for myself. it's entirely self indulgent but what can i say, that pink-haired toothy big boy really stole my heart.

“One day… will you come?” Katakuri asks. In front of him, still standing strong against all odds, Strawhat Luffy raises both fists and poises himself for yet another round, unrelenting and determined. The toll the battle has taken on him is evident, but his will to fight remains unaffected, a firestorm coursing through his veins, unyielding even when Katakuri himself can barely stay on his feet. “To defeat Big Mom?” Katakuri clarifies.

The glare Monkey D. Luffy shoots him burns as bright as his spirit. “You bet!” he screams, “I’m gonna be the Pirate King!”

There’s not even the slightest hint of hesitation in his tone, no room for doubt whatsoever. He says it like it’s a fact, with absolute conviction.

Katakuri believes him.

He huffs out a breath that’s almost a chuckle. “Guess you really can see the future…” he says, and doesn’t fight it when his knees give out at last and his back hits the ground.

A small, surprised sound escapes Strawhat's lips, probably having expected more resistance from him still. Right now, Katakuri wouldn’t move even if he could. Lying down like this, defeated at this kid’s feet, not the implacable, stoic First Sweet Commander of Big Mom’s fleet anymore, feels almost like a relief.

He can’t remember the last time anyone ever saw him with his guard down, let alone like this. Can’t recall the last time he allowed himself to show even the smallest trace of weakness. It feels like letting a mask fall, one he’s worn for longer than he can remember. A weight he’s been carrying for far too long, finally off his shoulders.

Katakuri draws in a shaky breath, and can’t help but smile to himself. He aches all over, but he’s never felt better.

He’s also never fought such a great battle. If nothing else, he wishes he could still move just to continue trading blows with Strawhat, though he no longer intends to try and stop him from escaping with his crew.

His eyes have drifted close, but he opens them again when he hears Strawhat flop down next to him.

The kid sits by Katakuri’s side for a moment, rubbery limbs crossed under him and panting heavily, but otherwise making no sound. Then, in a bit of a daze, Katakuri watches as all of the tension visibly leaves his lean body and he morphs into a radically different person. In a matter of seconds his whole demeanor is laid-back, his body language open and welcoming. Katakuri knows better than to let himself be fooled by the apparent recklessness, knows the strength hidden in those misleadingly thin arms and the warrior’s heart beating in that scarred chest, but it’s easy to forget the fierceness Strawhat had displayed mere moments earlier when met with that smile.

“Aahhh, damn, that was close” Strawhat says, and sighs dramatically. “You really gave me a hard time there… Guess I still need to become stronger to kick Big Mom’s ass.”

Katakuri pointedly ignores the kid’s decidedly _not_ subtle attempt to comfort him for his defeat. “You might not want to walk around making such bold threats, Strawhat,” he warns him instead, still struggling for air himself. “You’re still in the middle of our territory.” _And I can’t help you like this_ , he catches himself thinking.

Ah. He gets it, now.

This kid, Monkey D. Luffy, he’s dangerous in a way he’s completely unaware of. Haki and sheer strength and unyielding spirit aside, it’s this strange ability to make people around him into allies, sometimes even the most improbable ones, that turns dire situations into victories, that produces ways-out where there should be none. Is this ability that truly makes him the most formidable of enemies. That will someday take him to the far end of the New World and crown him Pirate King.

Pedro, Pekoms, Bege, Chiffon, Boss Jinbe… Katakuri is starting to understand just what it was that drew them all to fight by Strawhat’s side. There’s a magnetism to him, inexplicable and powerful and unavoidable, that just beckons you over. Something about Strawhat Luffy’s charismatic, carefree personality, that just makes you want to stay close and loyal, just to bask in that sunlight surrounding him for a bit longer.

“What time is it?” the kid asks, stretching his legs and completely ignoring Katakuri’s warning. It’s fine, though. Having met him, Katakuri doesn’t actually doubt that they’ll all get out of here safely.

“You still have a few minutes,” he replies. “Brûlée should still be around, you’ll need her to get back.” The words are out of his mouth before he can’t even think about what his saying. His whole being, reacting to this kid on autopilot, wanting to help him. “Don’t hurt her, please,” he adds as an afterthought, though he doesn’t really believe Strawhat would.

It grants him a reassuring smile from the boy. “Sure, don’t worry about it,” Strawhat Luffy says, and then grins at him some more. It’s hard to properly identify any sensation at the moment, with how badly hurt he is, but Katakuri could’ve sworn that just now was his stomach doing a backflip.

For a few moments, they remain silent; Strawhat regaining his breath, readying himself for the inevitable next fight, and Katakuri finding himself questioning his entire reality. Soon enough, though, the kid gets restless and starts fidgeting next to him -- he never did strike him as the patient kind.

“You shouldn’t hide,” Strawhat tells him then. Katakuri turns to look at him and raises a questioning eyebrow, so he goes on. “Your mouth,” he clarifies. “It’s cool. You shouldn’t hide it.” Katakuri doesn’t reply. Can’t find any words that’ll do his quickened heartbeat and the heat rising to his cheeks any justice. “I bet you can eat a lot!” Strawhat goes on to say like it’s the biggest compliment he could possibly give anyone. On his lips, it sounds like it.

“You’re… the first one that’s ever told me I shouldn’t hide,” Katakuri says. His voice is doing funny things, but so is his heart and the rest of him… All of him, entirely at this kid’s mercy. “Even my brothers think it's disgusting…”

“Really?” Strawhat Luffy questions, genuinely baffled. He seems to ponder for a minute then, like he’s trying to think of what to tell Katakuri that might convince him…

Katakuri sees the idea taking hold in his brain before it even happens… but not even being able to look a few seconds into the future can possibly prepare him for it.

The surprised, awed gasp is falling unbidden from Katakuri’s lips before Strawhat even gets to press his lips against them.

No, seeing into the future also couldn't prepare him for this; for the warmth that spreads throughout his body, shooting a thrill down his spine and soothing his pain like the sweetest balm. Seeing into the future couldn’t warn him of the way Strawhat’s lips feel meeting his own.

Monkey D. Luffy kisses him, and it feels like being set ablaze. The press of chapped lips, unafraid and determined and almost fierce, just like his fighting. The hand on Katakuri’s neck. The lithe weight atop his chest. The gush of hot air mingling with his own breath. It’s delirious and surreal and utterly, wonderfully _perfect_.

And far, _far_ too short.

In but a second, it’s over, and all that’s left is a tingly feeling on Katakuri’s lips, and a toothy-grinned face towering over him.

“See? It’s cool!” Strawhat says happily. “Not disgusting at all! You should find friends with whom you don’t have to hide it!” He adds, and then he laughs some more.

Katakuri… he can’t help but smile back.

“Monkey D. Luffy,” he starts speaking then, not even thinking about the words. He has Strawhat’s attention right away. “I will remain loyal to my family. I, too, have things I want to protect,” he pauses, breathes in, lets it out shakily. “But if you do come back, if you defeat Big Mom… then maybe I’ll be free to choose my own family.”

Strawhat Luffy listens closely, but doesn’t say anything right away. He stands, brushes dust off his pants, and places his iconic straw hat atop his head, before finally turning towards Katakuri and covering his chin with the black hat he’s been wearing, shielding Katakuri’s mouth from sight.

“I’ll come.” Monkey D. Luffy tells him, and Katakuri knows it’s a promise. “And when I do, I’ll make sure you never have to hide again.”

And Katakuri? Katakuri damn well believes him.

x

“Brûlée… Strawhat, he…?” he doesn’t finish the question, but Brûlée understands anyway.

“When you hear what I have to say, you’ll be pretty happy, but…” she grumbles.

“Oh? Can you see the future now, too?” Katakuri teases her. He can imagine what she’s hinting at, and though he did have full faith in Strawhat, the knowledge that he’s safe does come as a relief anyway.

“Strawhat just left our territory,” Brûlée confirms, ignoring his interruption. “And I won’t forgive him!” she vows. “How could I? After what he did to you!”

Katakuri doesn’t even attempt to keep the smile pulling at the corner of his lips in check.

“See!” Brûlée exclaims when she notices it, miffed.

If anything, her indignation only makes Katakuri’s smile grow wider. Yes, for now he’ll stay here and protect the people he holds dear. For now, he’ll become stronger still, until he can stop hiding under layers upon layers of duty and family and pretend nobility, and he can make the man who set him free proud.

For now, he’ll wait for his Captain’s return.

**Author's Note:**

> i love this fandom and i don't get nearly enough chances to write for it so if anyone has any prompts or ships they'd like me to write please do send them my way! i ship a vast amount of things, but i'm particularly fond of most luffy ships and also ace/marco.
> 
> edit: i know tumblr's a dying website but i dusted off my op blog in case it's easier for people to reach me there with prompts & all. find me at [themugiwarapirates](https://themugiwarapirates.tumblr.com/) for all things op-related, or at my main, [viperbranium](http://viperbranium.tumblr.com/), where i mostly post and write about marvel.


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